The Book Lisp: “Look Closer” by David Ellis – Full Discussion

Podcast: The Book Lisp with Jon Ryan & Sarah Colonna
Episode Date: February 23, 2026
Hosts: Jon Ryan & Sarah Colonna

Episode Overview

In this episode, Jon and Sarah dive deep (and hilariously) into David Ellis’s psychological thriller, Look Closer. They unravel the book’s clever twists, tangled relationships, and the moral ambiguity that defines its deeply flawed characters. The duo gleefully picks apart plot mechanics, critiques the big twists, and discusses what made this intricate thriller so engaging and hard to put down.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Initial Impressions and Book Summary

• Sarah’s Pick & Re-Read:

  • Sarah had read Look Closer before and picked it for the podcast, praising its “messy” yet ultimately satisfying structure.
    • “I had read it before…funny the way our brains work…I didn’t remember how it ended until I got to the end again.” (00:45)
  • Jon praises the intricate structure:
    • “They broke everything up for the first 80% of the book, and the last 20% they put all back together because the web was so wide.” (01:09)

• Plot Recap:

  • The story kicks off with the murder of Lauren, a paralegal married to a wealthy man, found hanging in a Halloween costume.
  • The investigation peels back layers: affairs, old grudges, and elaborate cons.
  • Central figures:
    • Simon (her apparent lover and possible murderer),
    • Vicki (Simon’s supposed wife),
    • Nick/Christian (a prolific con artist).
  • Money, revenge, and long-game con artistry tie the characters together.

Untangling the Web of Cons, Crimes, and Characters

• Simon’s Past & Motivation:

  • Explores the backstory: Simon’s father cheated on his mother, left Lauren (the murder victim) his fortune, the mother’s tragic death, and the tangled financial legacy.
  • Jon probes the sketchy $21 million inheritance and Simon’s complex, spiteful nature.
    • “[Simon’s] like a real long game…he didn’t forget anything.” (10:07)

• Vicki’s Role and Fake Marriage:

  • Revealed not to be Simon’s wife, but his partner-in-crime; they met in a suicide survivors’ group, both seeking vengeance.
  • Vicki’s tragic past, identity theft, and fake persona add another convolution, which the hosts note sometimes felt like a “loose end” (15:04).

• Nick/Christian the Con Artist:

  • The ultimate scumbag, seducing women for money under false identities.
  • Sarah and Jon lampoon the over-the-top way he’s written:
    • “After jackhammering Vicki on my office couch…” (12:04, Jon reading)
    • On the unrealistic sex scene: “You’re jackhammering her for two hours? You’re not doing it right.” (12:10, Jon)
    • “I don’t want to be jackhammered, I’ll be honest.” (12:19, Sarah)
  • Nick is ultimately set up expertly—the conner conned.

Plot Mechanics, Twists, and “The Long Game”

• Twists Unpacked:

  • The hosts praise the book’s ability to keep readers off-balance and how everything clicks into place:
    • “Everything fit together so perfectly at the end.” (01:26, Jon)
    • “None of what you think you’re reading is actually happening until you find out.” (05:23, Sarah)

• Simon’s Confessions and Therapist Confidentiality:

  • Jon questions the therapist’s role and whether confessions of murder could be legally protected.
    • “I was curious…confidentiality could be thrown out when there was a violent crime…” (08:51, Sarah)

• Writing and Structure:

  • The book’s shifting perspectives, faux journals, and burner phone subplots are lauded as ingenious misdirections.
  • “You’re almost looking for like, oh, no, but did he forget about the…No, he didn’t forget anything. David Ellis, the author, he ties it all together.” (13:06, Sarah)

Character Morality & Emotional Responses

• No One Is Good:
  • “It’s a tough book to read…there's not any good person in the book.” (07:10, Jon)
  • Nick/Christian is universally reviled: “Just a giant douchebag.” (42:18, both)
  • Simon and Vicki evoke conflicted sympathy: “They’re both complete psychopaths…[but] you’re like, oh, they’re only getting rid of bad people now.” (33:03, Sarah)
  • On Vicki protecting Simon and their unusual bond: “He’s actually in love with her…she just doesn’t feel that way.” (44:05, Sarah)

Plausibility, Loose Ends, and Minor Quibbles

• The mechanics of Simon’s inheritance, Vicki’s police contacts, and the role of fake identity are parsed.
• “That was the only not really like loose end maybe, but seemed it was adding a layer that I wasn’t sure we needed.” (15:04, Sarah)
• Jon: “I still, like, I didn’t quite know how. I’m like, why is this husband and wife? Like, how is this adding up?” (22:45)

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• Comic Relief:
  • Running gags about “jackhammering” sex, misremembered therapy laws, and fake names (“Dean Cumstain”) provide levity.
  • “If I jackhammered you for two hours, I wouldn’t have any skin left on my penis.” (12:10, Jon)
  • “I don’t want to be jackhammered…We have a nice time because I don’t get jackhammered.” (12:19, Sarah)
• Sarah, on authorial genius:
  • “I don’t know how he kept up with his own story. To be honest, David Ellis.” (20:30)

Literary Craft & Final Thoughts

• Both hosts are blown away by the expert plotting:

  • “Every single character had a purpose, and it was like the net was cast so wide…It did perfectly. Amazingly written book.” (44:48, Jon)

• High Praise and Ratings:

  • Sarah: “Five out of five martinis. I gotta read more by him.” (44:19)
  • Jon: “11 out of 12…highest rated book…in a year and a half.” (44:47)

• Fiction and Morality:

  • On the satisfaction of the ending:
    • “It was a more interesting ending to me that they got away with it…They played such a long game.” (43:30, Sarah)
  • “It’s nice that this is a fiction novel, and then I enjoy the characters if I want.” (41:47, Sarah)

Important Discussion Timestamps

• 00:45: Sarah discusses her experience re-reading the book
• 01:09: Jon talks about the book’s unique structure
• 02:03: Plot summary and set-up of the murder
• 04:09: The convoluted family and financial history
• 07:21: No truly “good” characters
• 10:11: Simon’s calculated actions and long-game mentality
• 12:04: Roasting Nick’s “jackhammering” sex scenes
• 15:04: Discussion of Vicki’s fake identity subplot as possible loose end
• 18:39: Journals, burner phones, and intricate plotting
• 20:30: Praise for David Ellis’s craft in keeping the story straight
• 31:04: The law school promotion subplot and Vicki’s willingness for drastic measures
• 33:03: Hosts discuss the odd likability of the protagonists
• 42:18: Agreement on Nick/Christian’s awfulness
• 43:28: Climax and the killers getting away with it
• 44:19: Final ratings and recommendations

Looking Ahead

• Jon’s March Pick: One Day by David Nichols.
  • “It’s happy, it’s sad, it’s romantic.” (45:47)

Takeaways for Listeners

Look Closer delivers a labyrinthine story that’s both darkly clever and grimly entertaining, populated by amoral characters redeemed only by the excellence of the narrative. Jon and Sarah’s breakdown rewards close listening for the clarity they bring to an intentionally tangled yarn—and for the comic relief as they gleefully rip into the book’s most outrageous moments. If you love psychological thrillers with true “long game” plotting and morally grey anti-heroes, their review provides a full appreciation of just how much David Ellis pulls off.

Notable Quotes:

• “He must have had something…some kind of vision board or something to get that all together.” (45:24, Sarah)
• “It’s a tough book…There’s not any good person in the book.” (07:10, Jon)
• “It is. It’s a whole quite the web.” (05:56, Sarah)
• “They’re terrible, but they seem like they got a little bit of good egg in there somewhere.” (41:10, Sarah)

For readers craving detailed book analysis—and plenty of laughs—this episode is essential listening before, during, or after finishing Look Closer.